The invention relates to a feed trough for young farm birds, in particular turkeys.
More specifically, the trough is of the type having a suspended circular plate, supported by a series of support struts arranged radially, superiorly to which plate a cylindrical organ is positioned, which organ is a feed dispenser of connected to and in communication with a horizontal tubular feed transport conduit. The said trough is usable in series along feed distribution lines in poultry sheds.
In the following description, particular reference will be made to young turkeys, but any kind of young poultry bird is intended, such as chickens, guinea-fowl etc.
At present, according to prior art practices, during the first period of mother-independence of turkeys, a feed trough of the above-described type is used, having a container plate with a low-rise peripheral edge (low-rise so that the animal can reach the feed with his beak) and a large diameter (about 45-50 cm) with the aim of enabling the fixing of the plate to support struts arranged radially, which struts are structurally predisposed to support container plates for adult animals, that is large-diameter plates.
The use of a large-diameter plate for turkeys during their formative period involves considerable inconvenients.
The animal, tending to search for the freshest food which is at the base of the cylindrical distributor organ, climbs on to the plate, helped by the fact that the perimeter edge is low, and soils the feed as well as causing its spilling-over from the plate.
In substance, therefore, there is a problem of hygiene involved, on the one hand, and an economical problem, due to the waste of good feed, on the other hand.
An essential aim of the present invention is thus that of eliminating the above-described prior-art inconvenients by providing a feed trough for young farm birds, especially turkeys, with which it will be possible to avoid the entrance of the animal itself on to the feed distributor plate.